


What's in a Name?

by FlitShadowflame



Series: A Cadash Always Gets His Man [4]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen, M/M, Marriage Proposal, That's it, rating is for single f-bomb, some feminizing petnames, this is probably the tamest thing I've written in months
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-28
Updated: 2015-09-28
Packaged: 2018-04-23 18:53:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4888093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlitShadowflame/pseuds/FlitShadowflame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loosely inspired by a <a href="http://dragonage-kink.livejournal.com/13890.html?thread=56627266#t56627266">kink meme prompt</a>, but rather than post that, here's a summary of the actual fic:</p><p>Dorian gets disowned.  Cadash makes him feel a lot better about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's in a Name?

Dorian might have ignored the letter entirely, if the seal had been whole. Not that he truly expected Leliana to allow him the privacy, even if he was...close...to the Inquisitor. He might not want it, to tell the truth; Leliana had foiled at least two attempts on his life by virtue of opening his post.

The contents were brief, and not really a surprise. He was more amazed it had taken Halward Pavus this long to cut his losses.

Not "father." Never "father" again, apparently; Dorian had been formally disowned. There was money enclosed, the standard severance for an apprenticeship or research position, perhaps a bit less. Had he achieved more under the family name, he'd likely have been awarded more, but he didn't mind. The work he did in the Inquisition library was more fulfilling and paid well enough for his current needs, with enough left over to save for leaner days.

Really, it didn't bother him at all that his - that Halward Pavus had sent a note barely two sentences long and a scarcely adequate severance. What did it matter if an assistant had written the note itself, maybe even signed it? The house signet ring was used, and so it was official.

The ink started to blur and then run as the paper soaked up water. He wasn't sure when he'd begun crying, but he couldn't seem to stop, either. There were things he needed to do - people to inform, his birthright to return...

"Dorian?" Edric Cadash asked gently, his hand on the mage's knee.

"Forgive me, Amatus, I'll be poor company today."

"I love you even when you're sad, princess. 'Sides, you always make me feel better when I'm upset; I'd like to be able to say the same."

"Did Leliana..."

"She told me you'd received some bad news, but not what."

Dorian sighed. "Not really news. Just a final formality in my family's saga of disappointment in me. Former family, I suppose. In truth, I've been expecting this. My fa - Magister Pavus isn't getting any younger, so if he intends to have an heir of his own blood he'll need to move quickly."

Cadash nodded slowly. "What does this 'formality' actually mean?"

"I may no longer make any personal or legal claims upon House Pavus or its members, my birthright is to be returned as expediently as possible, and in Tevinter I am restricted to using the name Dorian Asanguinus; a Laetan with no 'blood.' But that's not really a name, obviously - I'd have to register a new one to be capable of signing any legal document in Tevinter, the sole exception being if I desired to sell myself into slavery. They require only a drop of blood for that, so the contract can be returned to the correct owner - or descendant - even centuries later."

"You're welcome to use my name, sweetheart," Cadash smiled, squeezing Dorian's leg. "I had a more elaborate proposal in mind, but I'd probably fuck it up anyway."

Dorian blinked vacantly. "Pro...posal - are you asking me to marry you?"

"If it's something you want?" Cadash shrugged.

"But do you _want_ to marry me?" Dorian pressed, because the last thing he wanted was to trap the man in the very sort of unhappy union he'd been disowned for avoiding.

"Please do me the honor of becoming my spouse," Cadash said, taking up Dorian's hand to kiss his palm. "My sweet, beautiful man."

Dorian sighed, but his eyes gleamed. "You're going to call me 'wife' whether I do or not, aren't you?"

"You 'do'? Me too! Let's go celebrate!" the dwarf laughed. "My cute little wifey. Dorian Cadash."

Dorian flushed. It sounded...rather good, actually.


End file.
